We decided to try something different in 2007 with one of the boats in the hopes of offering our customers a wider range of options for diving the Gulf of Mexico.  Some of our changes are based on liability insurance requirements, and some are based on past customer comments/complaints.

Some dive shops have asked how to sell the Spree over the Fling. We don’t want to try to sell the Spree over the Fling.  We want to offer existing customers a different diving experience and attract new customers at the same time.

It is not in the interests of Gulf Diving, LLC for the boats to be in competition with each other as they are now.  Instead, differentiating between the two boats allows Gulf Diving, LLC to serve additional market segments thereby increasing our overall customer base. Some of the changes we are making to the M/V Spree should more than justify a higher trip cost:

• Passenger counts have been reduced to allow for more room per person.
• Nitrox is now included in the trip price.
• No customers will be required to use the double bunks or the forward berthing area.
• We are adding a wet head and upstairs, indoor shower on the dive deck. 
• The dive deck will be less crowded than it used to be, giving more room to doff and don scuba gear.
• The wetsuits will not hang in front the dive gear, so the folks on the center bench will not have to fight their way through wetsuits to analyze their Nitrox tanks.
• Trip leaders will no longer fill tanks, allowing them more time to interact with customers, including teaching classes, helping with photography, showing pictures and video and just hanging out.
• Divers will not have to eat in shifts as they currently do when the weather is bad because everyone will now fit in the salon.
• Each diver will have a seat to sit on during the briefing, instead of some having to sprawl in the passageway.
• An extra head will be available, for a total of 4 for 10 fewer divers, minimizing the 6 A.M. rush.

The M/V Spree will be marketing to more experienced divers.  More experienced divers will allow the Spree to use more challenging dive sites.  Fewer and more experienced passengers will result in a more relaxed trip. 

We will be moving the Spree to Key West, Florida to operate in the Dry Tortugas Marine Sanctuary for the month of June and the beginning of July.  This was done for two reasons:  To offer customers who have come to the Flower Gardens many years in a row an opportunity to go to a new destination on a boat they are familiar with, and quite frankly, the weather in the western gulf blows in the spring (pun intended). 

The Spree is not moving to Florida for the entire year.  If the move goes well we will take the Spree to Florida in future years for April, May, and June.  That would give us a 6 month operating season instead of only three.  That brings the price per trip down for everyone. 

There are many reasons.  First and foremost, our insurance carrier has told me that we need to be sure that we show our liability release to the diver before they ever book a trip.  The new booking system ensures that a diver will see the terms and conditions and liability release prior to paying anything for the trip. 

Additionally, the dive shops are not properly vetting divers for medical conditions prior to booking them on the boat.  The new booking system will help minimize those situations. 

Finally, if all bookings are kept in one central location, any dive shop can see how many spots are available in real time.  If a customer calls and asks if spots are available, a dive shop can check the Spree Expeditions website and tell them after hours and when our office is closed. 

Go to www.spreeexpeditions.com.  Click on the tab for the calendar month of the trip you want to book.  Pick the trip and dive shop you want to go with. 

When a customer clicks on the “book now” box, it brings up a screen with our terms and conditions that the customer must accept before going on.  When the customer accepts the terms and conditions, they are directed to a screen with the liability release.  Once again, they must agree to the liability release before proceeding.  If a customer does not agree with the terms and conditions or liability release, they get directed back to the home page, and are not allowed to proceed until they do agree. 

The customer is then asked if they have any medical contraindications to diving.  Although that is a big word that may have to be explained to the divers, it is the same word used by all of the big liveaboard companies.  We will educate the divers.  If they do have a medical contraindication, the web page directs them to get a letter from a doctor stating that they are cleared to dive with their particular condition.  The standard RSTC questionnaire WILL NOT be accepted as a doctor’s letter.  As we all know, anyone can find a doctor to sign the RSTC questionnaire, but the doctor has to put it on the line to sign off on their letterhead. 

At the point where the diver indicated that they do not have a contraindication to diving, or that they are in possession of the letter, they get to fill out their personal information.  The website will place a cookie on the diver’s computer so that if they are booking for more than one person, they will not have to fill out the same information multiple times.  We didn’t let one person book more than one trip, as that defeats the purpose of accepting the liability release.  If we have to revisit this procedure, we will. 

The diver fills out name, address, certification information, dietary preference, diving gas used, and weight needed.  The system then tells the diver how much the trip price is and lets us do a little marketing.  Finally, the diver is asked for payment information.  All of this information is kept on a secure socket layer server.  Credit card information is never e-mailed.  We have to log onto the server to retrieve that information.  When the customer clicks “Submit Information” everything is summarized for them, and then they click “Buy Now”. 

At that time, an e-mail is sent to the dive shop, the booking office, and to the customer, letting us all know that someone has booked.  The dive shops will have all information except credit card, so that they may contact them with any paperwork the shop may require, and to sell them something, which is what dive shops do.  When we process their credit card, another e-mail is sent out to dive shop and customer stating that the customer is confirmed.  That is the customer interaction with the booking system.  Customer lists will be made available for the dive shops who booked the customer.

The Fling is not for sale.  Ken and Sharon are not planning to retire in the immediate future.  The Spree is not moving to Florida forever.  Gulf Diving is continuing to grow and evolve as the only real liveaboard dive operation operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

When Gary Rinn started this business 18 years ago, he marketed to the local diver, and couldn’t have done it without the involvement of the dive shop.  We still feel strongly that the dive shop is our best advertising, best marketer, and our most important partner.  Gary and I have spoken many times about the changes we are making, and he wished he had made some of them when he owned the boats. 

Change is always painful and traumatic, and I have chosen to change the Spree’s entire business model in a single season.  If I didn’t think this would work, I certainly wouldn’t be making the expensive changes I will be making in the next three months.

The Spree Expeditions booking office has an 800 number so that customers that call with questions (weather call, and to get all of the other information that they forgot to read on the website) can get straight through toll free.   That number goes directly to the booking office.  That number is 866-460-3483.  The local number is 281-970-0534.